Remote wire feeder

Abstract

A wire feeder including a motor driving a set of feed rolls to force a welding wire from a spool through a welding torch to a welding operation. The wire feeder has an input lead to be connected to the output lead of one of a plurality of remotely located power sources, each having a signal receiver for receiving transmitted signal with a code unique to one of the power sources. The receiver having an output for controlling a parameter or condition of the one power source in accordance with a received signal with the unique code. A transmitter on each of said plurality of power sources for transmitting on its output lead a coded signal specific to the power source. A signal receiver on said wire feeder to receive a unique code from the specific power source actually connected to the wire feeder and a circuit on the wire feeder for transmitting command signals from the wire feeder, which command signals each have the unique code specific to the power source connected to said wire feeder.

1. A wire feeder including a motor driving a set of feed rolls to force a welding wire from a spool through a welding torch to a welding operation, said wire feeder having an input lead connected to the output lead of one remotely located power source of a plurality of power sources, said one remotely located power source having an on condition and an off condition where a welding current is directed to said output lead only when said source is in said on condition, a receiver on said one remotely located power source to shift said remotely located power source to said on condition upon receipt of a starting signal with a given code that is specific to said one remotely located power source, a weld starting trigger with a weld start position located adjacent said torch to close a switch when said trigger is shifted to the weld position, a circuit to sense when said switch is closed, and a transmitter on said wire feeder to transmit said starting signal with said given code to said one remotely located power source when said trigger switch is closed whereby said one remotely located power source is shifted to its on condition when said trigger is in said weld position, said starting signal and said one remotely located power source have the same given code. 
   
   
     2. A wire feeder as defined in  claim 1  wherein said transmitter is an RF signal generator with a signal with a code corresponding to said same identification code. 
   
   
     3. A wire feeder as defined in  claim 2  wherein said wire feeder has a voltage select device for manual adjustment to a condition corresponding to a desired arc voltage. 
   
   
     4. A wire feeder as defined in  claim 3  including a circuit to convert said condition to a voltage level upon receipt of a signal with said given code and a transmitter on said wire feeder to transmit said voltage level signal with said given code to said power source whereby said power source is set to said desired voltage. 
   
   
     5. A wire feeder as defined in  claim 1  wherein said wire feeder has a voltage select device for manual adjustment to a condition corresponding to a desired voltage. 
   
   
     6. A wire feeder as defined in  claim 5  including a circuit to convert said condition to a voltage level upon receipt of a signal with said given code and a transmitter on said wire feeder to transmit said voltage level signal with said given code to said power source whereby said power source is set to said desired voltage. 
   
   
     7. A method for turning on one particular power source of an electric arc welder from a plurality of power sources, said one particular power source having a receiver operative only upon receipt of a signal with a specific identification code particular to said one particular power source, a remotely located wire feeder connected to said one particular power source by a power cable, said method comprising:
 (a) starting the welding cycle of a welding process for said welder; 
 (b) sensing said starting; 
 (c) transmitting a signal with said specific code particular to only said one particular power source of said plurality of power sources from said wire feeder to said one particular power source when said starting is sensed; 
 (d) starting said one particular power source upon receipt of said coded signal to direct power to said wire feeder by said cable; and, 
 (e) setting the code of said transmitted signal from said wire feeder to said specific code particular to said one particular power source of said plurality power sources. 
 
   
   
     8. A method as defined in  claim 7  wherein said transmitted signal is RF. 
   
   
     9. A method as defined in  claim 7  wherein said transmitted signal is by way of said cable. 
   
   
     10. A wire feeder including a motor driving a set of feed rolls to force a welding wire from a spool through a welding torch to a welding operation, said wire feeder having a input lead connected to the output lead of one of a plurality of remotely located power sources each having a signal receiver for receiving a transmitted signal with a code unique to one of said power sources, said receiver having an output for controlling a parameter or condition of said one power source in accordance with a received signal with said unique code, a transmitter on each of said plurality of power sources for transmitting on said output lead a coded signal specific to said power source, a signal receiver on said wire feeder to receive a unique code from the specific power source connected to said wire feeder and a circuit in said wire feeder for transmitting command signals from said wire feeder, which command signals each have the unique code specific to the power source connected to said wire feeder. 
   
   
     11. A wire feeder as defined in  claim 10  wherein said power source has an on condition switch activated by a coded command signal received by the receiver of said one power source. 
   
   
     12. A wire feeder as defined in  claim 11  wherein said controlled parameter is voltage corresponding to a value on said received coded signal of said one power source. 
   
   
     13. A wire feeder as defined in  claim 10  wherein said controlled parameter is voltage corresponding to a value on said received coded signal of said one power source. 
   
   
     14. A network comprising a wire feeder with an input for welding power and a plurality of power sources each having an output lead connectable to said input of said wire feeder, each one of said power sources having a transmitter for transmitting a unique coded signal particular to said one of said power sources on its output lead and a receiver for receiving coded command signals from said wire feeder, said wire feeder having circuit to decode said unique coded signal received from said one of said power sources connected to said wire feeder, said wire feeder having a transmitter for transmitting coded command signals which are coded with said unique coded signal so as to be received by only said one of said plurality of said power sources connected to said wire feeder for operation of said one of said plurality of power sources in accordance with said coded command signals transmitted from said wire feeder. 
   
   
     15. A network as defined in  claim 14  wherein each of said command signals transmitted from said wire feeder is a coded on signal with said unique coded signal that is unique to said connected power source. 
   
   
     16. A network as defined in  claim 15  wherein said coded on signal is generated by a switch operated in response to closing of the weld trigger of a gun operated by said wire feeder. 
   
   
     17. A network as defined in  claim 16  wherein said command signal transmitted from said wire feeder is voltage selected by a knob on said wire feeder. 
   
   
     18. A network as defined in  claim 15  wherein said command signal transmitted from said wire feeder is a coded voltage generated by a circuit responsive to a knob on said wire feeder. 
   
   
     19. A network as defined in  claim 14  wherein said command signal transmitted from said wire feeder is a coded voltage generated by a circuit responsive to a knob on said wire feeder. 
   
   
     20. A network comprising a wire feeder with an input for welding power from the output power lead of one of a plurality of power sources, each of said power sources having a transmitter to transmit a unique coded signal on its output power lead and a receiver in said wire feeder with a circuit for identifying the actual power source connected to said wire feeder by identifying said unique coded signal received by said wire feeder on its input lead, and each of said power sources has a receiver for receiving a command signal with a code corresponding to a specific power source and said wire feeder has a transmitter set to transmit command signals with a code unique to said power source from which said wire feeder receives power. 
   
   
     21. A wire feeder comprising:
 an input power lead connected to one power source of a plurality of power sources; 
 a receiver for receiving a coded identification signal from said one power source on said input power lead, each of said plurality of power sources and said one power source having a transmitter for transmitting an identification signal unique to the transmitting power source, said coded identification signal received by said receiver being unique to said one power source of a plurality of power sources connected to said input lead; and 
 a transmitter for transmitting coded command signals from said wire feeder, which coded command signals each include said coded identification signal unique to said one power source connected to said wire feeder so as to be received by only said one power source of said plurality of power sources connected to said wire feeder for operation of said one power source in accordance with said coded command signals transmitted from said wire feeder. 
 
   
   
     22. A wire feeder as defined in  claim 21  further including an output lead connected to said one power source of said plurality of power sources,
 said transmitter transmitting said coded command signals with said coded identification signal unique to only said one power source of said plurality of power sources on said output lead.